Torpedo



Aug. 25, 1931. P. ORLANDO 1,820,822

TORPEDO FiledAug. .20. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

i 7 3 `l.314- 9 l Aug. 25, 1931. P. ORLANDO 1,820,822

ToRPEDo Filed Aug. 20,' 1930 2 Sheets-Sheer 2 sax I 5 55 62 k asPatented Aug. 25, 1931 PAOLO ORLANDO, or FIUME, ITALY, AssIeuon TosILunIrIoIo wIII'rnrInAD 'DI' FIUME SOCIETA ANONIMA, on FIUME, ITALY,.ACOMPANY or ITALY? TORPEDO Application ledAugust 20, 1930, Serial No.476,652, and in Italy August 30, 1929:

v parts omitted, of an automotive torpedo equipped according to thisinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section of the same on line 2 2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a. fragmentary section on an enlarged scale of the. deviceof this invention for discharging compressed air from the compressed airvessel feeding the torpedo motor;

Figure 4 is a separate and fragmentary plan view of a detail on line 4 4of Figure 3, with the torpedo shell removed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

As shown on the drawings, within the torpedo shell 1 is fastened a. rim5 which Vconnects the torpedo head shell l with the air vessel 3 andprovides a peripheral set of nozzles 6 connected with a space 7 leftintermediate the bow wall 8 of vessel 3 and a partition 9 fastened onrim 5 and on a valve casing 10 located in space 2 within head 1.

In a cylinder 11 threaded in a central bore of front partition 8 ofcompressed air vessel 3 (Figures 1 and 3) is mounted to reciprocate avalve 12 having a balancing port 13 and a pilot valve 14 acted on by aspring 57 the stem of said pilot valve 14 having an outer head 15; thedifferential valve 12 14 thus pro vided controls air flow through ports16 and 17 of cylinders 11 and between the insideof vessel 3 and space 7.

In a sleeve 18 of casing 10 fastened on partition 9 a piston 19 ismounted to reciprocate, said piston having an adjusting screw 2O adaptedto abut on head -15 and a 4throng-hout port 21; a link 23isifulcrumed at22 on pis= `ton 19 and is pivoted at 24 with a similar ylink 25fulcrumed at 26 on a piston 27 hereinafter described thus providingV atoggle gear', the interconnected ends of links 23, 25 extending beyondbushing 18 through slot 61 of the same, while a port 56 connects theinside of sleeve 18 with the inside of casing 10 la piston 27 is mountedto move against pressure of a spring 28 in a seat 29 which is loose `insleeve 18 and isl resiliently held in position therein by a spring 30and a plug 31` fastened in the mouth of sleeve 18; n

A tube 32 leads from easing 10 to bow ballast water compartment'4 oftorpedo (Figures 1 and 3). Casing 10`is encircled by a movable frame 33(Figures 3 and 5)"whose bottom portion is connected by means oflrod 34andv stud35 with a'slioe 36 fulcrumed'at 37 on a seat 37 of torpedoshell `1;

The frame 33 has a-tappet38 operative von a plunger 39 mounted' toreciprocate through casing l() and bearing on the ends of toggle.- links23-25 interconnected by pivot pin 24, the top end'of said frame 33 isVconnected by a rod 40-with a hydrostatic diaphragm 41 which is actuatedbyoutstanding water pressure against the action of a spring 42 which isseated in a seat 60 fastened by collar 52 on the torpedo shell 1.

ln lugs 43 solid with top plate 44 of diaphragm 41 a fork 45 is pivotedat 58; said fork being acted on by Vsprings 59'engaged with said fork 45and plate 44 at 46 and 47 yrespec tively; said fork has an arm 48 whosehead 49 may project outwardly through an opening 50 of a cover 51closing the collar 52 and seat where diaphragm 41 is located; teeth'53are provided on the pivot fork ends they being adapted to engage lowersurface of cover 51.

The communication intermediate casing 10 and space 7 is made throughports 62 and is normally cut off by a tapering annular Valve 54 which ismounted to reciprocate on sleeve 18 and is forced by spring 55 on itsseat provided in casing `10.

When the torpedo is in the launching ,tube therefor (not shown) shoe36abuts on the internal surface of said tube and'said-'shoe 36 withtrame 33 and parts connected therewith are prevented from moving, theybeing thus held in position shown in Figure 3.

When the torpedo has been lauched and in its run it tends to sink andreaches a depth for which diaphragm 41 and spring 42 have been set tooperate, said diaphragm 41 moves inwardly against the action of spring42, and then it is engaged in the position it takes up because teeth 53of fork 45 under action of springs 59 abut on lower face of cover 51;then arm 48 is caused to carry the manipulating head 49 to outside ofthe torpedo shell 'for its subsequent manipulation.

The displacement of diaphragm 41 and of rod 40 connected with it causesframe 33 to move down it then freely moving in this direction, becauseshoe 36 connected therewith by rod 34 is :tree to swing outwardly aroundits pivot 37, said shoe being no longer engaged by the surface of thelaunching tube.

Frame 33 on moving down shifts plunger 39 downward, the toggle gear 23,25 being thus actuated at pivot point 24.

Piston 27 is first caused to move back against the action of spring 28and then the spreading motion of toggle gear 23, 25 after spring 28 iscompressed causes a backward motion ot piston 19 whose stem 2O acts onhead 15 and thus opens pilot valve 14 and then the main valve 12.

Then air compressed under high pressure within vesel 3 flows through 16,13, 1'?, 21 into sleeve 13 and a portion of said air may ilow throughtube 32 into compartment 4 to expel water contained therein, by a deviceforming the subject mattei' of my co-pending application tiled at thesame date hereof under Serial Number 476,651.

The remaining portion of compressed air flows into sleeve 18 and issuestherefrom through port 56, and then said air opens valve 54,' flowsthrough ports 62 and enters space 7 from which it issues through nozzles6 discharging it towards torpedo stern.

Air jets issuing from nozzles 6 and directed sternward owing to thewater reaction produce on said nozzles and therefore on the torpedo anupward action; then the torpedo sits upright and the reduction of weightdepending upon the air discharge is assisted by a positive upward actioncausing the torpedo to float.

Diaphragm 41 and stem 40 with parts actuated by said stem are held inthe position they tool; up when the described operation is completed'byteeth 53 abutting on cover 51.

TVhen the torpedo has been recovered an operator acts on head 49 ofJfork 45 to release the gear and enable valves 14 and 12 to close underthe action of spring 57, the torpedo being thus in conditions for asubsequent loading and run.

The described arrangement provides for securing automatically thedischarge ot air from vessel 3 and for obtaining an action which assiststhe torpedo buoyancy when the torpedo reaches a predetermined depthafter being launched, while shoe 36 serves to prevent the operation otthe device and the discharge of the air when the torpedo is within a.launching tube of a submarine boat and this boat sinks at a larger depththan that for which the air release control means (as diaphragm 41) hasbeen set.

1What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United StatesLetters Patent is 1. A device for reducing the weight of an automotivetorpedo driven by an air motor fed by a compressed air vessel when ittends to sink beyond a predetermined depth, comprising a set oi airdischarging nozzles opening sternward through the torpedo shell, meansproviding a passage for air from said vessel to said nozzles, an exhaustvalve located in said passage,and adjustable means subject to thepressure ot' the outstan ding water and actuating said valve to opensaid passage when the torpedo reaches said predetermined depth.

2. A device for reducing the weight of an automotive torpedo driven byan air motor ted by a compressed air vessel when it tends to sink beyonda predetermined depth, comprising a set of air discharging nozzlesopening sternward through the torpedo shell, means providing a passagetor air from said vessel to said nozzles, an exhaust valve located insaid passage, adjustable means subject Yto the pressure ot theoutstanding water and actuating said valve to open said passage when thetorpedo reaches said predetermined depth, and means adapted to engagethe torpedo launching means and to restrict the actuation of said valvewhen so engaged.

3. A device for reducing the weight of au automotive torpedo driven byan air motor ted by a compressed air vessel when it tends to sinl beyonda predetermined depth, comprising a set or'.l air discharging nozzlesopening sternward through the torpedo shell, means providing a passagetor air from said vessel to said nozzles, an exhaust valve located insaid passage and comprising a valve member, a toggle gear operative onsaid eX- haust valve member, a member subject to the pressure of theoutstanding water and actuating Said toggle gear, means for adjustingthe pressure under which said pressure responsive member is made op-erative, and means adapted to engage the torpedo launching means and torestrict the operation of said pressure responsive member and valve whenso engaged.

A device tor reducing` the weight of an automotive torpedo driven by anair motor ted by a compressed air vessel when it tends to sink beyond apredetermined depth, comprising a set of air discharging nozzles open-JLU razones ing sternward through the torpedo shell, means providing apassage for air from said vessel to said nozzles, a dierential exhaustvalve located in said passage and comprising valve members adapted tooperate in sequence, a toggle gear operative on said differential valvemembers, a member subject to the pressure of the outstanding Water andactuating said toggle gear, means for adjusting the pressure under whichsaid pressure responsive member is made operative, and means adapted toengage the torpedo launching means and to restrict the operation of saidpressure responsive member and valve When so engaged.

5. A device for reducing the Weight of an automotive torpedo driven byan air motor fed by a compressed air vessel when it tends to sink beyonda predetermined depth, coinprisin0r a set ot air discharging nozzlesopening sternward through the torpedo shell, means providing a passagefor air from said vessel to said nozzles, an exhaust valve located insaid passage, allow restricting valve in said passage and means forresiliently hold-V ing said flow valve closed, means subject to thepressure of the outstanding Water and actuating said exhaust valve,means for adj usting the pressure under which said exhaust valveactuating means is made operative, and means adapted to engage thetorpedo launching means and to restrict the operationv of said exhaustvalve when so engaged.

G. A device for reducing the Weight of an lautomotive torpedo driven byan air motor fed by a compressed air vessel when it tends to sink beyonda predetermined depth, co-mprising an exhaust valve controlling anoutlet for said vessel, adjustable means responsive to the pressure ofthe outstanding Water and actuating said valve to open said outlet whenthe torpedo reaches said predetermined depth, and locking means madeoperative by the operation of said Water pressure responsive means tohold said valve in open position.

7. A device for reducing the Weight of an automotive torpedo driven-byan air motor ted by a compressed air vessel When it tends to sink beyonda predetermined depth, comprising' an exhaust valve controlling anoutlet for said vessel, adjustable means responsive to the pressure otthe outstanding Water and actuating said valve to open said outlet whenthe torpedo reaches said predetermined depth` locking means madeoperative by the operation of said water pressure responsive means tohold said valve in open position, and manipulating means operable fromoutside of the torpedo shell to release said locking means.

8. A device for reducing the Weight of an automotive torpedo driven byan airmotor Vfed by a compressed air vessel .vhen it tends to sinkbeyond a predetermined depth, com- Vating said toggle gear, means foradjusting the pressure under which said diaphragm is made operative,locking means made operative by displacement of said Water pressureoperated diaphragm to hold said exhaust valve in open position,manipulating means operable from outside of the torpedo 1shell torelease said locking means and means adapted to engage the torpedolaunching means and to restrict the operation of said diaphragm andexhaust valve when so engaged.

9. A device for reducing the Weight ot an automotive torpedo driven byan air motor fed by a compressed air vessel When it tends to sink beyonda predetermined depth, comprising a set of air discharging' nozzlesopening sternward through the torpedo shell, means providing avpassagefor air from said vessel to said nozzles, an exhaust differential valvelocated in said passage and comprising valve members adapted to operatein sequence, a ioW restricting valve in said passage and means forresiliently holdingl said flow valve closed, a toggle gear operative onsaid differential valve members, a diaphragm subject to the pressure ofthe outstanding Water and actuating said toggle gear, means foradjusting the pressure under Which said diaphragh is made operative,locking means made operative by displacement of said Water pressureoperated diaphragm to hold said exhaust valve in open position,manipulating means operable from outside of the torpedo shell to releasesaid locking means, and means adapted to engage the torpedo launchingmeans and to restrict the operation of said diaphragm and exhaust valveWhen so engaged.

10. A device for reducing the Weight of an automotive torpedo driven byan air motor fed by acompressed air vessel When it tends to sink beyonda predetermined depth, comprising a set of air discharging nozzlesopening sternvvard through the torpedo shell, means providing a passagefor air from said vessel to said nozzles, an exhaust differential valvelocated in said passage and comprising a number of valve members adaptedto operate in sequence, a flow restrictingvalve in said passage andmeans for resiliently holding said flow valve closed, a toggle gearoperative on said differential valve members, a diaphragm subject to thepressure of the outstanding Water and actuating said toggle gear, meansfor adjusting the pressure under ivhich said diaphragm is madeoperative, locking means made operative by displacenient of said Waterpressure operated diaphragm to hold said exhaust valve in open 5position, manipulating means operable from outside of the torpedo shellto release said locking means, means adapted to engage the torpedolaunching means and to restrict the operation of said diaphragm andexhaust 1C valve when so engaged, a ballast Water compartment in saidtorpedo, and means con- Veying a portion of air discharged from saidexhaust Valve to said ballast Water compartment to expel watertherefrom. 5 In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

PAOLO ORLANDO.

